hinking about Nature (Routledge Revivals)

An Investigation of Nature, Value and Ecology

Ecology – unlike astronomy, physics, or chemistry – is a science with an associated political and ethical movement: the Green Movement. As a result, the ecological position is often accompanied by appeals to holism, and by a mystical quasi-religious conception of the ecosystem. In this title, first published in 1988, Andrew Brennan argues that we can reduce much of the mysticism surrounding ecological discussions by placing them within a larger context, and illustrating that our individual interests are bound with larger, community interests.

Using an interdisciplinary approach, which bridges the gap between the sciences, philosophy, and ethics, this is an accessible title, which will be of particular value to students with an interest in the philosophy of environmental science and ethics.

Content:

List of Figures and Tables; Preface; Introduction; 1. Thinking about the Environment 2. Frameworks 3. Ecology: What It Is and What It Isn’t 4. Ecology in Perspective 5. Reduction and Holism 6. Nature and Existence 7. Ecological Explanation 8. Supervenience and Essence 9. Theory, Fact and Value 10. Puzzles and Value 11. The Environment and Conventional Moral Theory 12. Beyond the Social Contract 13. Living in the New Community 14. Practical Matters; Bibliography; Index